First off, it's a bullshit story like everything else liberal wapo prints.

Secondly, if you two dickheads hate capitalism so much why don't you learn to send smoke signals instead of using the computers and internet that exist because of the evil capitalists that invented them.

Capitalism is an effective system for incentivizing production based on private control of property and productive resources. Whatever you want to call what the progressives are pitching is an ineffective system of welfare and victimization-theory that only incentivizes more dependence on government taking from one citizen and giving to another.

The pope is certainly correct in some of his criticism of capitalism, but I doubt he's calling for a nanny state, or people just living off the government's ability to steal from one person and give to another without any effort on the part of the taker to better himself. Seems to me he's asking for a balanced approach, not the radical fringe of any one system.

I like much of what this pope says. Calling for restraint and balance doesn't mean he automatically places himself in the radical fringe of socialism or progressivism.

The pope is certainly correct in some of his criticism of capitalism, but I doubt he's calling for a nanny state, or people just living off the government's ability to steal from one person and give to another without any effort on the part of the taker to better himself.

One of the biggest problems with this approach...and we've seen it played out over and over...is that eventually they run out of other people's money and inevitably everyone but those that are in power winds up living in poverty.

Capitalism is an effective system for incentivizing production based on private control of property and productive resources. Whatever you want to call what the progressives are pitching is an ineffective system of welfare and victimization-theory that only incentivizes more dependence on government taking from one citizen and giving to another.The pope is certainly correct in some of his criticism of capitalism, but I doubt he's calling for a nanny state, or people just living off the government's ability to steal from one person and give to another without any effort on the part of the taker to better himself. Seems to me he's asking for a balanced approach, not the radical fringe of any one system.I like much of what this pope says. Calling for restraint and balance doesn't mean he automatically places himself in the radical fringe of socialism or progressivism.

I agree. He is not against capitalism as a whole but against unchecked capitalism. The kind where 80% of the people have just 7% of the wealth (like here in the US).

First off, it's a bullshit story like everything else liberal wapo prints.Secondly, if you two dickheads hate capitalism so much why don't you learn to send smoke signals instead of using the computers and internet that exist because of the evil capitalists that invented them.Worthless, emptied-headed hypocrites.

Making it so the majority of wealth isn't controlled by just a few. How to do that? Giving a voice to the middle and working class in Washington. The wealthy have had power and influence in Washington since the beginning, trickle down has sped things up greatly though.

<quoted text>Making it so the majority of wealth isn't controlled by just a few. How to do that? Giving a voice to the middle and working class in Washington. The wealthy have had power and influence in Washington since the beginning, trickle down has sped things up greatly though.

You do see the problem don't you? the people we have supposedly elected are controlled by the rich organizations and businesses so the that the voice of the real people goes unheard they don't care what one person has to say, they don't care that the regulations they pass hurt the majority of the so called working class and poor, really they just don't care, because an evil has taken over it started about 25 years ago an evil that cant be heard or seen but it is as real as the sun its called EGO..

<quoted text>You do see the problem don't you? the people we have supposedly elected are controlled by the rich organizations and businesses so the that the voice of the real people goes unheard they don't care what one person has to say, they don't care that the regulations they pass hurt the majority of the so called working class and poor, really they just don't care, because an evil has taken over it started about 25 years ago an evil that cant be heard or seen but it is as real as the sun its called EGO..

Yes, the problem lies in the fact that we are a majority. The bottom 80% has virtually no voice in Washington. Trickle down has had plenty of time to prove it's worth and all thats happened is the rich have gained more wealth and the middle class has been squeezed out. The distribution numbers prove this, look at wealth distribution in 1980 and then look at it now. What most peole fail to see is that it doesn't matter who's in DC. Every president has embraced trickle down since it was implemented by Reagan, to one degree or another. Clinton actually took it to a whole new level! Obama has done nothing for the poor and middle class except throw a few bones their way to keep them quiet.

We don't need to take our country back from socialist ideals and a socialist president! It's just the opposite, we need to take it back from greedy corporations and the top 10%. We are, afterall, the majority.

<quoted text>Yes, the problem lies in the fact that we are a majority. The bottom 80% has virtually no voice in Washington. Trickle down has had plenty of time to prove it's worth and all thats happened is the rich have gained more wealth and the middle class has been squeezed out. The distribution numbers prove this, look at wealth distribution in 1980 and then look at it now. What most peole fail to see is that it doesn't matter who's in DC. Every president has embraced trickle down since it was implemented by Reagan, to one degree or another. Clinton actually took it to a whole new level! Obama has done nothing for the poor and middle class except throw a few bones their way to keep them quiet.We don't need to take our country back from socialist ideals and a socialist president! It's just the opposite, we need to take it back from greedy corporations and the top 10%. We are, afterall, the majority.

Find a school anywhere that teaches or promotes what liberals call, and continue to pin on republicans as, "trickle down economics". Non exist, except as economist Thomas Sowell says, "in an insane asylum".

If you want the economy to flourish, the government needs to butt out of businesses. It has no business in business anyway. Solyndra, Evergreen Solar, SpectraWatt - all examples of exactly why the government fails the middle class, and every other class except their cronies when they step their big clumsy, corrupt foot in the private sector ring.

In order to grow, we need to shrink the government and let the private sector invest it's profits where it sees fit, first back into it's own business and employees, and then in spreading the wealth. If the government wants to lift tax breaks on corporations, fine. Go for it! If you think that alone is what's causing the disproportionate wealth distribution then you're nuts.

What Obama, and the progressives continue to offer up, whatever they call their brand of economics - with government standing on the the air passages of profitable businesses like oil and coal, while picking and choosing winner and losers based on campaign donor support, powerful lobbyists and radical social justice advocates - pretty much guarantees cronyism and entitlement mentality. Solyndra and Evergreen Solar alone prove that. The fact so many feel the only way for to wrest wealth from the rich is to grow and empower the government is proof of that.

As Benjamin Franklin said, "Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one."

"Trickle down economics" doesn't work, but neither does empowering an insanely corrupt government, encouraged to step into areas of business they have no experience or reason to be, for the sole purpose of attacking corporations and empowering themselves to decide economic winners and losers. If you think America's middle class are weak and impoverished now, keep growing the government and see what happens when an entity that can only spend money, not make it, holds all the cards.

<quoted text>Find a school anywhere that teaches or promotes what liberals call, and continue to pin on republicans as, "trickle down economics". Non exist, except as economist Thomas Sowell says, "in an insane asylum".If you want the economy to flourish, the government needs to butt out of businesses. It has no business in business anyway. Solyndra, Evergreen Solar, SpectraWatt - all examples of exactly why the government fails the middle class, and every other class except their cronies when they step their big clumsy, corrupt foot in the private sector ring.In order to grow, we need to shrink the government and let the private sector invest it's profits where it sees fit, first back into it's own business and employees, and then in spreading the wealth. If the government wants to lift tax breaks on corporations, fine. Go for it! If you think that alone is what's causing the disproportionate wealth distribution then you're nuts.What Obama, and the progressives continue to offer up, whatever they call their brand of economics - with government standing on the the air passages of profitable businesses like oil and coal, while picking and choosing winner and losers based on campaign donor support, powerful lobbyists and radical social justice advocates - pretty much guarantees cronyism and entitlement mentality. Solyndra and Evergronly spend money, not make it, holds all the cards.

You keep taking the partisan road. You fail to understand that this division of wealth is the fault of the entire system, not one president or one party. Why does DC keep shooting down campaign finance reform? Why do corporations pay billions to lobbyists? Why does this country spend what is does on defense contracts and in many cases build things we don't need? Things that see the scrap yard before they even get to the battleground? Why are we going to be in Afghanistan another 10 years? Just to feed the war machine? I have a second cousin who is a lobbyist in DC for a major agricultural company. His house is 9,000 square feet and sits on a 3 acre estate in Virginia. Doing some research on line I found out the value to be about $6.5 million! He throws big parties that brings in celebrities and major music stars. This is ONE lobbyist!The amount of money rolling through Washington is astounding. It corrupts. It paralyzes the system. Pork barrel projects that spend our money for things that aren't necessary, like bridges to nowhere and airports that serve almost no one. Subsidies to corporations who are raking in billions in profit each quarter. Meanwhile, we can't seem to find the money to keep our firehouses open and have to take police officers off the streets. NAFTA created an excuse for greedy corporations to go build their products overseas at penny's on the dollar and they were rewarded with tax breaks! Why are they so successful? Because middle class Americans no longer have the luxury of being patriotic. They need to buy things as cheaply as possible, even if that means buying a powertool built in China. Go ahead and blame it in the unions, they're always the scapegoat. Were some unions corrupt? Sure. Were some unions destroying their companies from within? Sure. Not all unions were. At least the unions gave the working man a voice. They made for safer working conditions, got them a livable wage and set up pensions so they could live a good retirement. Hard work should be rewarded. I'm not saying all corporations are greedy scum. I'm simply stating that while workers wages have remained fairly steady over the last 50 years or in some cases declined, based on inflations rates, corporate profits have skyrocketed to absolutely insane levels. This has coincided with the union's power loss. I don't want to get in some long winded discussions on unions because it's just one example of how this nation's wealth has gotten to this point of unequal distribution. There are surely many more.

You keep taking the partisan road. You fail to understand that this division of wealth is the fault of the entire system, not one president or one party. Why does DC keep shooting down campaign finance reform? Why do corporations pay billions to lobbyists? Why does this country spend what is does on defense contracts and in many cases build things we don't need? Things that see the scrap yard before they even get to the battleground? Why are we going to be in Afghanistan another 10 years? Just to feed the war machine? I have a second cousin who is a lobbyist in DC for a major agricultural company. His house is 9,000 square feet and sits on a 3 acre estate in Virginia. Doing some research on line I found out the value to be about $6.5 million! He throws big parties that brings in celebrities and major music stars. This is ONE lobbyist!

The amount of money rolling through Washington is astounding. It corrupts. It paralyzes the system. Pork barrel projects that spend our money for things that aren't necessary, like bridges to nowhere and airports that serve almost no one. Subsidies to corporations who are raking in billions in profit each quarter. Meanwhile, we can't seem to find the money to keep our firehouses open and have to take police officers off the streets.

NAFTA created an excuse for greedy corporations to go build their products overseas at penny's on the dollar and they were rewarded with tax breaks! Why are they so successful? Because middle class Americans no longer have the luxury of being patriotic. They need to buy things as cheaply as possible, even if that means buying a powertool built in China. Go ahead and blame it in the unions, they're always the scapegoat. Were some unions corrupt? Sure. Were some unions destroying their companies from within? Sure. Not all unions were. At least the unions gave the working man a voice. They made for safer working conditions, got them a livable wage and set up pensions so they could live a good retirement. Hard work should be rewarded. I'm not saying all corporations are greedy scum. I'm simply stating that while workers wages have remained fairly steady, or in some studies declined, over the last 50 years, based on inflations rates, corporate profits have skyrocketed to absolutely insane levels. This has coincided with the union's power loss. I don't want to get in some long winded discussions on unions because it's just one example of how this nation's wealth has gotten to this point of unequal distribution. There are surely many more.

You keep taking the partisan road. You fail to understand that this division of wealth is the fault of the entire system, not one president or one party. Why does DC keep shooting down campaign finance reform? Why do corporations pay billions to lobbyists? Why does this country spend what is does on defense contracts and in many cases build things we don't need? Things that see the scrap yard before they even get to the battleground? Why are we going to be in Afghanistan another 10 years? Just to feed the war machine? I have a second cousin who is a lobbyist in DC for a major agricultural company. His house is 9,000 square feet and sits on a 3 acre estate in Virginia. Doing some research on line I found out the value to be about $6.5 million! He throws big parties that brings in celebrities and major music stars. This is ONE lobbyist!The amount of money rolling through Washington is astounding. It corrupts. It paralyzes the system. Pork barrel projects that spend our money for things that aren't necessary, like bridges to nowhere and airports that serve almost no one. Subsidies to corporations who are raking in billions in profit each quarter. Meanwhile, we can't seem to find the money to keep our firehouses open and have to take police officers off the streets.NAFTA created an excuse for greedy corporations to go build their products overseas at penny's on the dollar and they were rewarded with tax breaks! Why are they so successful? Because middle class Americans no longer have the luxury of being patriotic. They need to buy things as cheaply as possible, even if that means buying a powertool built in China. Go ahead and blame it in the unions, they're always the scapegoat. Were some unions corrupt? Sure. Were some unions destroying their companies from within? Sure. Not all unions were. At least the unions gave the working man a voice. They made for safer working conditions, got them a livable wage and set up pensions so they could live a good retirement. Hard work should be rewarded. I'm not saying all corporations are greedy scum. I'm simply stating that while workers wages have remained fairly steady, or in some studies declined, over the last 50 years, based on inflations rates, corporate profits have skyrocketed to absolutely insane levels. This has coincided with the union's power loss. I don't want to get in some long winded discussions on unions because it's just one example of how this nation's wealth has gotten to this point of unequal distribution. There are surely many more.

Unions are horrible. They rip off the taxpayers and steal money from workers to pay for exorbitant salaries and benefits and vacation homes for the union bosses. At one time unions were decent but now they are entirely corrupt. I laughed when the legislature passed right to work. Good for them. Stick it to the unions. I'm sick of their greed and foolishness.

<quoted text>Find a school anywhere that teaches or promotes what liberals call, and continue to pin on republicans as, "trickle down economics". Non exist, except as economist Thomas Sowell says, "in an insane asylum".If you want the economy to flourish, the government needs to butt out of businesses. It has no business in business anyway. Solyndra, Evergreen Solar, SpectraWatt - all examples of exactly why the government fails the middle class, and every other class except their cronies when they step their big clumsy, corrupt foot in the private sector ring.In order to grow, we need to shrink the government and let the private sector invest it's profits where it sees fit, first back into it's own business and employees, and then in spreading the wealth. If the government wants to lift tax breaks on corporations, fine. Go for it! If you think that alone is what's causing the disproportionate wealth distribution then you're nuts.What Obama, and the progressives continue to offer up, whatever they call their brand of economics - with government standing on the the air passages of profitable businesses like oil and coal, while picking and choosing winner and losers based on campaign donor support, powerful lobbyists and radical social justice advocates - pretty much guarantees cronyism and entitlement mentality. Solyndra and Evergreen Solar alone prove that. The fact so many feel the only way for to wrest wealth from the rich is to grow and empower the government is proof of that.As Benjamin Franklin said, "Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.""Trickle down economics" doesn't work, but neither does empowering an insanely corrupt government, encouraged to step into areas of business they have no experience or reason to be, for the sole purpose of attacking corporations and empowering themselves to decide economic winners and losers. If you think America's middle class are weak and impoverished now, keep growing the government and see what happens when an entity that can only spend money, not make it, holds all the cards.

Hello Oneal...I'm compelled to take issue with your comment "If you want the economy to flourish, the government needs to butt out of businesses."

The reverse may be even more important and necessary. Getting big business out of the pockets of politicians is paramount.The corruption begins with big business. Whom do you actually think sets the minimun wage numbers? Remember, big business has to keep the profit percentage at the max.How many elected Tea Party candidates have kept their promise of not accepting big business money and gifts? Hint...none.An example is the governor of Virginia. The money he and his wife accepted as "gifts" was only to benifit his big business friend. He got caught but I can't even imagine the numbers of politicians that don't.

There is an inevitable overlap between government and business. We both know letting business set wage, and hours and safety standards won't work. As well as many other standards regarding building codes, handicap access, zoning, emissions from cars trucks and businesses. Food and drug safety and regulation. It goes on and on.The seperation needs to be not letting big business influence our politicians and government processes.The regulations or whatever you were referring to by government on big business has been compensated for by big business by passing on the costs to it's employees and consumers to protect their bottom line...make lots and lots of money at the cost of everyone else.

<quoted text>You keep taking the partisan road. You fail to understand that this division of wealth is the fault of the entire system, not one president or one party. Why does DC keep shooting down campaign finance reform? Why do corporations pay billions to lobbyists? Why does this country spend what is does on defense contracts and in many cases build things we don't need? Things that see the scrap yard before they even get to the battleground? Why are we going to be in Afghanistan another 10 years? Just to feed the war machine? I have a second cousin who is a lobbyist in DC for a major agricultural company. His house is 9,000 square feet and sits on a 3 acre estate in Virginia. Doing some research on line I found out the value to be about $6.5 million! He throws big parties that brings in celebrities and major music stars. This is ONE lobbyist!The amount of money rolling through Washington is astounding. It corrupts. It paralyzes the system. Pork barrel projects that spend our money for things that aren't necessary, like bridges to nowhere and airports that serve almost no one. Subsidies to corporations who are raking in billions in profit each quarter. Meanwhile, we can't seem to find the money to keep our firehouses open and have to take police officers off the streets. NAFTA created an excuse for greedy corporations to go build their products overseas at penny's on the dollar and they were rewarded with tax breaks! Why are they so successful? Because middle class Americans no longer have the luxury of being patriotic. They need to buy things as cheaply as possible, even if that means buying a powertool built in China. Go ahead and blame it in the unions, they're always the scapegoat. Were some unions corrupt? Sure. Were some unions destroying their companies from within? Sure. Not all unions were. At least the unions gave the working man a voice. They made for safer working conditions, got them a livable wage and set up pensions so they could live a good retirement. Hard work should be rewarded. I'm not saying all corporations are greedy scum. I'm simply stating that while workers wages have remained fairly steady over the last 50 years or in some cases declined, based on inflations rates, corporate profits have skyrocketed to absolutely insane levels. This has coincided with the union's power loss. I don't want to get in some long winded discussions on unions because it's just one example of how this nation's wealth has gotten to this point of unequal distribution. There are surely many more.

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